This application is based on French Patent Application No. 00 11 647 filed Sep. 13, 2000, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety, and the priority of which is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119.
The invention is more particularly directed to a sliding member adapted to be mounted on a life-line fixed horizontally along a wall, the sliding member being intended to be connected by a cable to a harness or to a belt worn by a worker working along the wall in order to protect the worker in the event of an accidental fall.
The present invention therefore provides a sliding member that can easily be mounted on the life-line, that can slide easily thereon, and that offers a high level of safety.
The sliding member in accordance with the invention is for use with a horizontal life-line comprising a cable extending along a wall and connected thereto by supports, the sliding member comprising a body having a channel in which the cable slides, a handle intended to receive one end of a lanyard whose other end is connected to a safety harness, a mobile jaw adapted to form a slot in the channel to enable the sliding member to be mounted on the cable, a mechanism for holding the jaw slightly open in an intermediate first configuration to form a slot corresponding to the thickness of the supports for the cable, a device for commanding opening of the jaw to increase the size of the slot in an open second configuration, in order to be able to mount the sliding member on the cable, and an element for automatically placing the sliding member in a safety configuration if traction is applied to the handle in which the mobile jaw is pivoted so that the slot is completely blocked.
The sliding member can therefore be mounted on the cable very easily and can slide easily along the cable, even at the location of its supports, and the slot is closed if the user should fall.
In accordance with one constructional feature, the mobile jaw is articulated on a shaft and includes a heel mobile inside the body against the action of a spring mechanism biasing the mobile jaw toward a configuration closing the slot, the handle is supported by a shaft mobile in a passage of the heel, the body includes a cam with which the shaft of the handle cooperates, the cam and the passage are inclined in opposite directions to the vertical so that, if the shaft of the handle is moved down, the jaw tends to pivot toward the safety configuration, whereas if the shaft of the handle is moved up, the jaw tends to pivot toward the open configuration.
In accordance with another feature, the heel includes a transverse opening in which a plunger slides against the action of a spring mechanism, the plunger including a notch adapted to be moved so that it is opposite the shaft of the handle so that the shaft can be moved upward so that the jaw can pivot toward the open configuration.
In accordance with another constructional feature, the shaft of the handle is pushed up by a spring mechanism to bear against the plunger, in which position it holds the jaw in the intermediate configuration.
The spring mechanism for biasing the mobile jaw toward the position in which it closes the slot preferably consist of a layer of a resilient cellular plastics material.
Finally, the spring mechanism for biasing the shaft of the handle upward in the passage consist of a layer of a resilient cellular plastics material between the bottom of the passage and the shaft.
According to an aspect of the invention, a sliding member is provided for use with a horizontal life-line including a cable extending along a wall and connected thereto by supports, the sliding member comprising a body having a channel in which the cable slides and a handle for receiving one end of a lanyard whose other end is connected to a safety harness. A movable jaw is adapted to form a slot in the channel to enable the sliding member to be mounted on the cable. A mechanism is provided for holding the movable jaw slightly open in an intermediate first configuration to form a slot corresponding to a thickness of the supports for the cable. A device is provided for opening the movable jaw to increase the size of the slot in an open second configuration, in order to mount the sliding member on the cable. An element is provided for automatically placing the sliding member in a safety configuration if traction is applied to the handle, wherein the movable jaw is pivoted so that the slot is completely blocked.
According to another aspect of the invention, the movable jaw is articulated on a shaft and includes a heel movable inside the body against the action of a spring mechanism biasing the movable jaw toward a configuration closing the slot, the handle being supported by a shaft movable in a passage of the heel, the body including a cam with which the shaft of the handle cooperates, the cam and the passage being inclined in opposite directions to the vertical so that, if the shaft of the handle is moved downwardly, the movable jaw tends to pivot toward the safety configuration, whereas if the shaft of the handle is moved upwardly, the jaw tends to pivot toward the open configuration.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, the heel includes a transverse opening in which a plunger slides against the action of a spring mechanism, the plunger including a notch adapted to be moved so that it is opposite the shaft of the handle to enable the shaft to move upwardly so that the movable jaw is able to pivot toward the open configuration.
Moreover, according to the invention, the shaft of the handle may be pushed upwardly by a spring mechanism to bear against the plunger, in which position it holds the movable jaw in the intermediate configuration. Additionally, the spring mechanism for biasing the movable jaw toward the position in which it closes the slot may comprise a layer of a resilient cellular plastic material. Furthermore, the spring mechanism for biasing the shaft of the handle upwardly in the passage may comprise a layer of a resilient cellular plastic material between the bottom of the passage and the shaft.
According to the invention, the movable jaw may include a heel, the heel including a transverse opening in which a plunger slides against the action of a spring mechanism, the plunger including a notch adapted to be moved so that it is opposite the shaft of the handle to enable the shaft to move upwardly so that the movable jaw is able to pivot toward the open configuration. Furthermore, the movable jaw may be articulated on a shaft, the shaft being pushed upwardly by a spring mechanism to bear against the plunger, in which position it holds the movable jaw in the intermediate configuration. Moreover, the movable jaw may be articulated on a shaft and be movable against the action of a spring mechanism biasing the movable jaw toward a configuration closing the slot, the spring mechanism comprising a layer of a resilient cellular plastic material.
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to one particular embodiment given by way of example only and shown in the appended drawings.